Method of simultaneously mounting and contour-cutting printed or lithographed sheetsand machine therefor



. 2,375,330 METHOD OF SIMULTANEOUSLY MOUNTING AND CONTOUR-CUTTING P RINTED OR LITHOGRAPHED SHEETS AND MACHINE THEREFOR H. O. SPERRY 4 Sheets-Sheet' 1 May 8, 1945.

INVENTOR. I $2691! 0. 512 2227 Filed Jan. 12, 1942 H. O. SPERRY METHOD OF SIMULTANEOUSLY MOUNTING AND CONTOUR-CUTTING PRINTED 0R LITHOGRAPHED SHEETS AND MACHINE THEREFOR May 8,

Filed Jan. '12, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 D D INVENTOR. BY j rzeaf'a 5 1392? 7 y H. 0. SPERRY 2,375,330 METHOD OF SIMULTANEOUSLY MOUNTING AND CONTOUR-CUTTING PRINTED OR LITHOGRAPHED SHEETS AND MACHINE THEREFOR Filed Jan. 12, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

y 1945- H. o. SPERRY 2,375,330

METHOD OF SIMULTANEOUSLY MOUNTING AND CONTOUR-CUTTING AND Jan. 12, 1942 Patented May 8, 1945 METHOD OF SIMULTANEOUSLY MOUNTING AND CONTOUR-CUTTING PRINTED QR LITHOGRAPHED- SHEETS AND MACHINE THEREFOR Herbert 0. Sperry, Drexel Hill, Pa. Application January 12, 1942, Serial No. 426,476

7 Claims. [(01. 154-2) The present invention relates to a new and useful' method of making printed or lithographed display cards in which the card is trimmed or cut to the contour of the picture or some part of the picture or desi n printed or lithographed thereon so as to give greater emphasis or outline to the picture or designas customarily used for ad vertising and publicity materials, such as point of .sale advertising or counter display signs.

In making advertising display material, such as counter displays or point of sale advertising display cards, it has been the practice to print 01' lithograph the picture or design and adver-- tising copy on a comparatively thin sheet of p per and then mount the thin sheet of paper upon a relatively thick and more or less form-retaining cardboard or paper sheet,by means of securement thereon, and thereafter to cut the assemled or mounte composite p per and cardboard unit to the contour or outline of the pic-- ture or design printed on the paper sheet by means of a cutting machine having in it a cutter of the desired contour, which is brought into accurate registration with the picture or design printed on the sheet. According to the prior practice this required at least two operative es, namely, first the adhesive securement of the printed or lithographed paper sheet upon the cardboard, which was generally referred to as the mounting and then the subsequent contfl g Of the assembly or what was ferred to as the cutting. i

According to the present invention this is accomplished in a single operation, whereby the single application of pressure between the paper sheet and the cardboard sheet serves simultaneously to unite or mount the sheets and to contour-trim or out the assembled sheets.

Thus, according to the present invention, the printed or lithographed paper sheet and the cardboard of substantially the same size are brought intoregistration with each other along one of their edges at more or less the same time or just slightly before the outline or picture or design On the paper sheet is brought into registration with the "cutter along one edge of the sheet, and thereafter the two sheets are progressively pressed against each other and against the cutter along a line which is gradually moved across the shcets from the leading edge to the trailing edgeof the composite sheets, so that the sheets are gradually-pressed together to establish permanent union between them and simultaneously pressed against the cutter to trim generally re-.

theassernbled sheets, progressively acrosstheir coextensive arrangements. I

. For the purpose of illustrating the invention,

there is shown in the accompanying drawings a form thereof which is at present preferred, since Y the same hasvbeen found in practice to give satise factory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arrangedand organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and -01":

ganization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described. r

In the accompanying drawings in'which like reference characters indicate like parts, Figure 1 represents a more orless diagram-J matic or schematic view, in side elevation, of apparatus suitable for invention;

Figure 2 represents'a fragmentary perspective view of the dischargeend of the cardboard sup-w view the cutter.

plying and registering means.

Figure 3 represents a more orless schematic fragmentary perspective View Of the apparatus at the point where the sheets meet each other 1 Figure 4 represents a perspective view of the cutter and pressure plate, with part of the pres.- sure pad broken away, soas better to expose. to

Figure 5 represents another-perspective view of thesame shOWn from the reverse side.-

Figure 6' represents a fragmentary cross-sec tional view of the cutter and pressure plate .and the main roll which co-acts therewith, showing, in a morev or less schematic way, the mannerin which the paper sheet and cardboard sheet are united and cut simultaneously. i I

Figure 7 represents a simplified diagrammatic or schematic side elevational View of a machine embodying the present invention.

.In carryinggout the method or process of present invention, I may employ any suitable cutting press, as for instance, a cylinder-and: platen type cutting press shown schematically .in Figure 1, wherein a reciprocable table lflcarries the cutting die which is designated, inits entirety, by the numeral ll,- and a rotary pressure roll l2 adapted torotate continuously in thedi- 'rection of the arrow l3, when in operation.

s The reciprocable table to is slidably: mounted upon a base M, upon suitable sliding guides or ways in somewhat the manner of the reciprocable table of a planer commonlyused inmachine shopsthe practice of the present the The driving mechanism for reciprocating the table If) is not shown, asthis can be anycon-" presses and the like.

, assembly.

ventional driving mechanism for reciprocating tablesof planers and cutting presses, printing The driving mechanism for rotating the pressure roll I2 is likewise not shown,

as this driving mechanism can likewise be of anyconventional form. The driving mechanism of "the roll I2 and of the table Iflare interrelated,

however, in such amanner that the roll I2 and the table III will be operating in timed relation to each other, withone complete revolution of the roll I2 corresponding to one complete to-andfro reciprocation of the tablellfl. One-half of the circumference of the roll 2 has a slightly larger diameter I5, while the other half of the roll I2-has a slightly smaller diameter IS. The reduced diameter I6, covering more or less approximately one-half of the circumference of the I roll is such as to clear the cutting die I for the return stroke of the table I0, while the larger diameter portion I5 of the roll I2 is such that it ference of the roll I2 will come in contact with the cutting die II, and} will travel at the same linear speed, at its circumferentialportion I5, as the speed of the table In and die II in the direction 'of the arrow II. On the returnstroke of the table I and die II in the direction of the arrow I8, the smaller diametered portion I of gers 28*and 29,

the circumference of the roll |2 will be in juxtaposition to the die II, so that the die 'II and table I0 may be retracted, in the direction of the arrow 8, without touching the cylinder, and

I this'retractive motion maybe at any speed, and preferably at a slightly increased speed, so that the table I0 and die -II will have been brought back to their initial position shown in Figure 1 before the larger diametered portion I5 of the cylinder again rolls around for the next operative portion of the cycle. Of course, it is understood that the circumferential length of the larger diametered portion I5 of the roll |2 corresponds generally to the effective length of the maximum length of the die I I to be used.

At or near the starting point |9,of the largerdiametered portion I5 of the cylinder l2, a pair or three or four similar andaligned sheet-gripping jaws or fingers are projected, carried upon a suitable shaft 2|, one of which fingers is exposed to view by partly breaking away the surrounding portion of the cylinder I2. The shaft 2| carries at one or both of its ends ,(projecting from the corresponding ends of the cylinder I2) a smaller terminal arm or lever or what i sometimes called a dog, which is engaged by operating means carried by the stationary part of the frame (not shown) generally at the bottom and at the top of the machine, so that when the shaft 2| and fingers 2|] carried thereby reach a position somewhat past the bottom of their circular path where the leading edge of the sheet I 22 must be released, after it has passed the zone of tangency between die 'I I and roll-surface I5, the-shaft is turned just sufficiently to cause the fingers 20 to be released from the paper sheet 22, while similar operating means at the top of the machine serve to turn the fingers 29 inwardly again, after a new sheet of paper 22 has been placed against the throat-portions of the fingers 2|! or against suitable stationary (and retractable) stop pins 19 cooperating with the fingers 20 for determining the position of the leading edge of the sheet 22. These edge stops I9 and paper-gripping fingers 2|)v may also be of the conventional form of construction now generally employed on cutting-presses as well as on printing presses, and, for that reason, no further detailed explanation thereof is deemed necessary here.

An inclined chute-like cardboard guiding table 23 is provided, carried by pairs of suitable up- "right supports 24 and 25 on each side, and having laterally adjustable side-rails for giving lateral guidance to the cardboard sheets to be delivered down. the incline. The lower end of the inclined table "23 is just above the upper surface of the cutting die II, as shown in Figures 1 and 7,'with its discharge edge just clear of the registering pins 26 carried by the table III. The registering pins 26 (of which theremay be two,

three or more) which define a line extending across the table in a direction at a right angle to the direction of travel thereof, are springpressed from beneathby suitable helical coil springs 21 so arranged that when the cylindersurface l5 meets the die II, the registering pins 26 may be depressed with their upper end flush with the die, so as not to obstruct the pressure portion I5 of the cylinder I2.

The inclined table is provided with upperandjower sets of releasable cardboard stop-finrespectively, which extend through suitable apertures in the table 23. in their projected positions, and are retracted to the positions shown in Figure 1 when the cardboard is to be released. The finger arms 28 and 29 are carried by corresponding pivot rods 3|] and 3|, respectively, suitably journalled in bearing lugs 32 and '33. The pivot rods and 3| have lever arms 34 and 35 secured thereto, which are, in turn, interconnected by a connecting rod 36 pivotally secured to the arms 34 and 35 at the pivot points 37 and 38, respectively. The lever arm 35 is slightly longer, and is provided with a spring anchorage pin 39 to which one end of a helical tension spring 40 is secured, the upper end of which is secured to a stationary anchorage pin 4| carried by the table 23 and in such a position that .a slight swinging of the arm 35 will place the line of the spring 49 or the linebetween the pins 39 and 4| on either one side or the other side of the pivot rod 3| .so that the spring 40 will tend to retain the stopfingers 28 and 29 either in the projected position shown in Figure2 or in the retracted position shown in Figure 1. A pin 42 carried by the reciprocable table III serves to swing the arm 35 to the retracted position of the pins 28 and 29, while a similar pin 43 atthe other end ofthe table tends'to swing the arm 35 to the position where the pins 28 and 29 will be in their extended or operative positions.

The position of the pin 42 is so locatedon the table ID that it will retract the pins 29 just in time to permit the cardboard sheet 44 to meet the registering pins 25 on the last portion of the re-, tracting stroke of the table II). The pin 43 is so located, that it will strike the arm and deflect the arm 35 just before'the cardboard 44 has fully passed the lower stoppins 29, so that it will catch the next cardboard 44-0. which has previously been released by the pins 28.

An arm 45, carried by the pivot shaft 3|, serves to abut against the under-surface of the inclined table 23, and'thereby'to limit or determine the retracted position of the pins 28 and 29.

If desired, the spring anchorage pin 4| canbe' be retracted only momentarily at the end of the retracting stroke of the table and will thereafter be extended a ain so 'that once thecardboard 44 has been released by the pins 29and the cardboard 44 similarlyreleased by the pins I 28, the pins will be Projected again ready to catch the next set of cardboards while the cardboards just released will ride over the projected pins.

From the upright frame members 25, a pair of lateral frame members 46 are extended, for carrya inga liquid container 41 for containing a supply of liquid adhesive material 48-the end of the reservoir 41 nearest the surface of the table 23 being inclined at the sameangle as the table 23 and clearing the table 23just sufficiently topermit the cardboard sheet to pass between it and the table 23. with safe clearance.

Upon the pair of frame members 46,'an adhesive pick-up roll 49 is journalled, in suitable journal blocks 59 and upon a suitable shaft 5 l-the lower periphery of the roll 49 dipping into and being submerged beneath the surface of the liquid adhesive 48, so that the roll 49 will serve to pick up v a supply of liquid adhesive from the reservoir 41. The roll 49 may be of any suitable material, as

for instance, metal or a resilient material such as rubber or similar more or less resilient material commonly used for inking roll including rolls formed in part of gelatin and thelike. To one end of the shaft 5| carrying the roll 49 agear 52' is secured, by means of which theroll 49 is driven, the journal blocks are preferably slidably mounted on the frame members 46, so that they may be advanced or retracted for greater or lesser clearance between the pick-up roll 49 and the applicator roll 53 with which it coacts. The applicator roll 53 is carried upon a shaft 54 journalled in suitable bearing blocks 55 also carried by the positively through the same source of power which drives'the applicator roll 53; The applica i tor roll 53 is in turn driven by the electric motor 51, through the pinion 58 carried by the shaft 59 thereof, which pinion 58 meshes with the gear 56. The adjustable journal blocks 50 are preferably held in position by the adjustment screw or' screws 69, the ends of which are held by the frame portions 6|, so'that by turning the knob 62, the journal blocks 50 may be advanced or retracted inrelation to the shaft 54, so as to increase or decrease the clearance between or the pressure between the rolls 49 and 53, and thereby to'vary the amount of adhesive which is transferred from the roll 49 to the roll 53 (the excess adhesive dripping back into the reservoir or well 41).

An idle pressure roll63, carried by a shaft 64, journalled in vertically adjustable bearings or journal blocks 65, is carried by the horizontal frame members 66, the pressure roll 63 extending lowered slightly by turning the knobs 69, so that the clearance between the roll 63 and the applie cater roll53rnay be varied to accommodatedifferent thicknesses of cardboard to through.

The cardboard sheets are preferably supplied.

in a stack 69 held upon an elevating platform"! which is guided, vertically, within two or. more verticalguiding uprights 1| and-12 and isv moved vertically at any desired rate by a feed screw v13, threaded through the stationary base member-14 and revolved by the worm gear 15 (or any .other suitable means) keyedto the screw post 13, and in turn driven by the worm 16 rotated by the motor orother suitable means 11. The speed of the vertical rightsof the cardboard 'stack 69 is adjusted so the uppermost sheet of cardboard will always be at the operating position so that the'ope an ing upon the stationary platform 18,may take the uppermost sheet from the stack and place it on the upper end of theinclinedtable 23, against the stop pins 29. v

When thepinsZB and 29 are thrown into their retracted position, the upper cardboard sheet 44- -a is released to the rolls 53: and 63, which engage it and between which it is driven through by the drive of the motor 51. The speed of the drive of the rolls53 and 63 is so adjusted that the card board 44a will be released by the rolls 53 and 63 just slightly after, or simultaneously with the release of the pins 29 and 29 to their projected position, so that as the cardboard 44 -a is released by the rolls 53 and 63, and is free to slide down to the lower end of the table23, the pins 29 will be ready to receive it and to stop it. Thus, While the pins 28 receive the cardboard sheets from the operator,- so the pins 29 receive the cardboard Each cardboard 44, with tacky or live adhesive on its upper surface, is released by the pins 29, j i

just in time to meet the paper sh'eet22 which is being brought down by the roll l2, with its leada ing edge held by the fingers 20--the final. registration between the paper sheet 22 and the'cardboard sheet 44 being determined by the position of the registering pi 26 in relation totheregistering pins 19 carried by the cylinder.

Thecutting die which is generally designated by the numeral H, and which also serves as'a' pressure plate for pressing together the paper sheet and cardboard sheet, is formed of a base plate 88 which may bea piece of multi-layer. plywood in whichthe thin steel cuttin strip 81 is set, and a resilient pressure plate 82 formed of.

sponge rubber or the like, of an area at least as,

greatas the common area or the coinciding areas 'ofthe paper sheet and cardboard sheet. I

In the drawings, particularly in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, I have illustrated but. a sample contour,

namely, the contour of what resembles the capithrough a suitable clearance or slot in the table tal letter I. This is done merely in order to simplify the illustration, although his to be understood that the shape to be cut may be ofany intricate contour, as for instance, the outline of any picture which would'constitute the advertisementv or display.

In making the combined cutter and, pressure plate I i l, the plywood board isfirst cut, with a jigsaw or a band saw, to provide in it a. cut or slitx83, of a Width equal approximately to the" thickness of the steel blade or strip 8i and of The journal blocks 65 are carried by similar screw posts 61, whereby they can be raised and Q be fed there-1.

' outtirigedge of the steel strip 8|.

' a contour of the shape to be cut.'fThe blad'e receiving'slit or slot 83 is, continuous for the cone tour, except-fora few bridging'gaps 84, at which 5 the llot is interrupted, so as to keep the several parts of the base plate 80 together. The. cutmg,

blade or srip BI is shaped to the shape of the slot-the height of the blade or strip 8| being subistantially greater than'the thickness of the base plate- 80. At the'points 84, a notch is cut into the bladestrip 8|, just suflicient' to clear the bridging portions '84 of the base plate, but without interruptirlgzth'e continuity (at these points) V of the A sponge rubber or other similar resilient and highly compressible pressure plate 82 is provided, of an expanded thickness, or of a thickness, in its-released position, greater than the height of. the projectedportion of the cutting blade 81' above the base 80. The sponge rubber plate 82 is cutsimila-r-to the base plate 80, butwith a continuous slit to receive the blade 8|, so that the entire base plate 80 is covered with the ruliberplate 82. By this means, the bevelled or sharpened cut- .ting edges 85 of'the cutting blade 8! are concealed beneath theupper relea'sed surface of the sponge rubber pressure plate-82, until the pressure surface it: of the roll [2 meets the plate 82 and compresses it so as to expose the cutting edge 85 and to-press the 'cutting edge 85 through the assembled cardboard and paper combination. Thus, 'the resilient plate 82 serves as a resilient pressure member to press the paper 22 I cut material 86 may then be lifted from the cuttingdie It byhand; or it maybe removed by travelling endless belts 181' or any other conventional sheet-transfer mechanism and stacked thereby as at'88. t i l "While-the pressure surface 82 is resilient, the pressure surface l5"of the roll I2 is preferably hard or relatively non-resilient, that is, relatively 1 harder in relation to the pressure surface 82, and

l the distance is so :adjustedthat'the pressure surface !5 will just contact the cutting edge 85 of the cutting strip on cutter 8!, so as to cutv through the assembled sheets-unless it is desired not quite to cut through both'sheets, in which tween the'surface l5 and the cutting edge 8'5 so as to icut through the assembled sheets to any desired and. predetermined depth and without. cutting entirely through them. However, where it is desired to out completely through the sheets, the surface l5 ,should just make contact with the cutting edge] 85. I i

' While the foregoing method is describedwith specialrelati-on to-the making of advertising or contour." Thus, for instance, thismethod may be used in making the blanks from which card- 7 board boxes are to beform'ed, where, for instance, thecardboard is to becovered with an outeror an inner paper covering" either printed 'or'not printed, and'where the adhesively united paper l and cardboard assembly is to be cut to a 'predetel-mined shape to constitute the 'cardboardbox' blank; In'like manner, the method of the present invention may be used for many'other purposes Where sheets are to be adhesively united.

mined contour; 1 I

While in the foregoing disclosure, reference is made particularly to a cutting press of the rollerand-platentype, it is to be understood that this and are to be cut or trimmed to some predeterparto f the apparatus may be a two-plate mecha nism, in which the pressure rollZZ is replaced by a' pressure plate brought into pressure contact with the, die and then'retracted therefrom in somewhat the fashion" of the pressure plate of a platen press used for, printing.

The paper sheets 22 are preferably made slight 1y larger, at least in the dimension. parallel to the direction of travel thereof than the corresponding dimensionof the cardboard sheets 44 and the registration of the leading edges of the paper sheets and cardboard sheets is preferably '50 set that the leadingedge of the paper .sheets will'project slightly beyond andclear of the leading edges of the cardboard sheet with which they are united. By this means the fingers 2% may be permitted to continue their grip upon the lead-.

ing edges of the paper sheets for a short interval after such leading edge has been adhesively united'with the cardboard, so that" this excess paper edge on the leading portion of the combined or assembledsheets 86 serves as a guide tab 89 .of the set of endless belts 81, the upper pore tions of which travel in thedirection of the up- 7 per arrow and the lower portions of which travel the direction of the lower arrow (over suitby which the fingers 2B may guide the combined or assembled sheets fifi onto the receiving end able rolls 90 andv 9|, one -of which is powerdriven) so that the assembledxsheets 86 will be given a start ontothe transfer belts 8T by which they may be transferred automatically to a stack 88. Thus,- the fingers 20 are preferably not swung into their released positions untilafter theleading edge of. the, cardboard is just above the receiving end 89 of the endless belts 81.

, event any suitable clearance maybe provided be:

display materials, it is to be understood, of course,

that the hereindisclOsed method of simultane ously'assembling and contour-cutting a plurality of sheets is not limited in its scope to the making ofadvertising. or display material but may be used for other purposes, asfor instance, wherever it is' desirable or necessary both to assemble sheets as well as to cut them to a predetermined Having thus described the invention, what is hereby claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is: l v

1. A method of simultaneously uniting a plurality of 'sheets. and contour-cutting the same which comprisesSeparately feeding said sheets in timedrelationship with each other, applyingv anadhesive coating to-at least one of each pair of opposed surfaces of said sheets, and simul taneously pressing said sheets together and contour-:cutting all of said.-sheets,-thereby to form an adhesively-united contour-cutmulti-ply sheet.

2 A method of simultaneously uniting a plurality of sheets and contour-cutting, the same which comprises separately feeding said sheets in timed relationship with eachother, applying an adhesive coating to at leastone of each pairof opposed surfaces "of said sheets, and progressively exerting line-pressure upon said sheets I while simultaneously contour-cutting all of said sheets, thereby to form'an adhesively-united con tour-cut multi-ply sheet.

3. A method of simultaneously uniting a plurality of sheets and contour-cutting the same which comprises separately feeding said sheets of opposed surfaces of said sheets, and simultaneously resiliently pressing said sheets togeth er and contour-cutting all of said sheets, thereby to form an adhesively-unrted contour-cut multiply sheet. I

4. A method of simultaneously uniting a plurality of sheets and contour-cutting the same which comprises separately feeding said sheets in timed relationshipwith each other, applying an adhesive coating to at least one of each pair of opposed surfaces of said sheets, and'progressively exerting resilient line-pressure uponsaid sheets while simultaneously contour-cutting all of said sheets, thereby to form an adhesivelyunited contour-cut multi-ply sheet.

5. A method of simultaneously uniting a plurality of sheets and contour-cutting the same which comprises separately feeding said sheets in timed relationship with each other, applying an adhesive coating to at least one of each pair,

of opposed surfaces of said sheets, exerting linepressure upon said sheets generally transversely of the direction of travel thereofand simultaneously contour-cutting all of the pressed-together sheets, and causing progressive relative movement of theline of pressure and the sheets a direction generally parallel to the travel of said sheets, thereby to form an adhesively-united contour-cut multi-ply sheet.

6. A method of forming a multi-ply contourcut sheet or the like which comprises feeding a pair of sheets of generally the same size along converging paths, applying an adhesive coating to at least one of the opposed surfaces of said sheets, registering said sheets at. their zone of meeting, and simultaneously pressing the sheets together into permanently-united relationship and contour-cutting both of said sheets.

. 7. A method of forming a multi-ply contourcut sheet or the like which comprises feeding a pair of sheets of generally the same size along converging paths, applying an adhesive coating to at least one of the opposed surfaces of said sheets, registering said sheets at their zone of meeting, pressing together, the leading edges of the registered sheets, and progressively applying pressure to successively rearward portions of said sheets While simultaneously contour-cutting both of said sheets.

HERBERT 0. SPE-RRY. 

